Faith Hunter – Black Arts

The seventh book in the Jane Yellowrock series, published January 7, 2014.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: kick ass



Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost....
When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he's convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.
Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.


Jane hasn’t seen or heard from her best friend Molly ever since she had to kill her evil sister, and she misses her and her children dreadfully. So when Molly’s angry husband Evan Trueblood tries to blow her house apart with his air magic, she is completely surprised. Why would he think that Molly came to see her? But at least he has brought her god children with him and Jane is so happy to see them again, and be able to cuddle them.
She promises to find out what happened to Molly and her two housemates immediately help in her quest. Alex “The Kid” is a whiz with computers, which is why he is on parole, but this time his big brother agrees to let him do his magic. After all, he knows what family means.

But then her landlady Katie calls, two of her girls went missing after a party they were not supposed to be at. Jane needs to find them, and kill the one who took them without her approval. Jane refuses to kill for Katie, but knowing that Katie will kill the person if she tells her his name, is just as bad. What is she to do? She doesn’t want to be a killer. But she will find the girls if she can.

That is not all on Jane’s plate, Leo is hosting a Gather the next evening, and he needs Jane to organize security. After her long absence, she doesn’t know all the new guys and girls yet, and she needs to find out asap, and beef up the security protocols. The last gather was a disaster when the werewolves invaded the ballroom through the roof, at least that won’t be possible this time. And when one of the new guys attacks her in the staff mess room, Jane has to find out who is behind it before she or her friends get hurt, big time.

A new (or rather old) and strong vampire has come to New Orleans, and he is bad news all along. He is supposed to ask for sanctuary from Leo, the Master of the City, but he is plotting and planning already with one of the more powerful vampires of Clan Arceneau, one who has a bone to pick with Jane … Will Leo support Jane in her fight against her, or will he protect the woman again? And what does he know about Mollie’s disappearance?

Can all those cases really be related?


I was so impatient to read this book, and it just would not arrive in the mail. A dozen others from the same pub date were already on my shelves, but this one was late. And then I had to wait for the weekend to read it, and I am glad to tell you, I am not disappointed. I was so stupid to read some reviews, and was a bit afraid of something, but well, I do not agree with that particular reviewer at all, sigh of relief. I really have to stop reading reviews of books I am going to read soon.

I love Jane and Beast, and I was sorry that there is little Beast in this book. Jane only changes one time to safe her life. I like her cool look at life and the ideas and memories she gives Jane. When a female black panther in heat lures away her mate Rick, Jane is devastated. But Beast wants to hunt them down, kill the female and punish Rick until she is through with him. Bruiser comes on to Jane at the wrong moments again, but I am still curious about what he has changed into, and if the can choose between Leo and Jane if he so desires.

Leo still doesn’t seem to know about the chain he has put on Beast instead of on Jane, and Jane is really unhappy with Beast’s attraction to Leo. Of course, all Beast wants is the strongest male to breed with, she doesn’t care for what he has done to Jane.

I enjoy how soft Jane is around her god children, and I did wonder why she did not ask Angelina about Mollie. The child knows much more than the adults around her want her to know. She is such a powerful little witch already.

A book filled with a lot of action, and preparations for action, which are fun to read about too. Jane keeps learning more about her own pasts, and the history of her people, the skinwalkers, the Warrior Women of her tribe. I enjoy that a lot.

I look forward to the next book already, which will be out in October.

9 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian